A second East Herts sites call has opened today, 15th October 2026, giving landowners and site promoters until 26th November to suggest land for the district’s new Local Plan. East Herts Council is inviting proposals for future development as well as sites that could support nature recovery and habitat improvement.
This is an early stage in choosing where future growth and environmental improvements might go across the district. It is not a consultation on a final list of allocated sites, and submitting land does not secure planning permission. The council will assess suggestions for suitability, availability and whether they can realistically be delivered.
I would check the submission rules before starting the form. The council already has more than 280 sites from its summer 2024 exercise and does not want unchanged duplicates. New promoters have an opportunity, but existing participants should only resubmit where boundaries or important information about suitability or availability have materially changed.
What the East Herts sites call covers
The East Herts sites exercise is intended to help the council understand what land might be available as it prepares its replacement Local Plan, sometimes described as a District Plan. Possible uses include housing and employment, traveller sites, community facilities, habitat creation and enhancement, infrastructure and energy. A mix of uses can also be suggested.
In its announcement, the council links the second exercise to changes in national planning policy in August 2026 and the opportunity to consider additional land. It also gives people who missed the 2024 exercise another chance to participate. That does not mean earlier suggestions have been rejected or that new submissions will receive preference.
Sara Saunders, the council’s Director for Place and Deputy Chief Executive, described the process as “an early information-gathering exercise”. The council says assessments of the earlier sites are ongoing and that a report will be published in due course. Public opportunities to comment will follow as the plan develops, including on sites proposed for allocation.
Check the threshold and your interest in the land
The East Herts sites webpage sets out several eligibility requirements. A site must be wholly or partly within the district boundary. The council asks people to submit only land in which they have an interest and which they believe has genuine potential to be developed over the next 15 to 20 years.
The published size test is an area of at least 0.25 hectares, or capacity for at least five dwellings, or at least 500 square metres of employment floorspace. These are alternative routes in the council’s wording, not a requirement to meet all three thresholds. A promoter should check the live guidance against the particular type of suggestion being made.
You must provide your name and contact details for the site to be considered. Precise boundaries must also be supplied, either drawn or uploaded within the form. I would settle the boundary and the proposed use before opening the submission portal, rather than leaving an uncertain edge to be explained later.
The distinction between owning land and having an interest in it also matters when preparing a submission. The council’s instruction is to have an interest in the site. This report does not turn that wording into a claim that every contributor must own the freehold, or that any suggested land will be accepted without further assessment.
Prepare everything before opening the form
The East Herts sites process requires a separate online form for each site. The form must be completed in one session, because it cannot be saved and resumed later. The council provides instructions, frequently asked questions and a list of the questions in advance, all linked from its official call-for-sites page.
The council welcomes early submissions and warns that those made towards the end of the six-week period may encounter technical difficulties if many people submit at once. I would use the published question list to prepare the information, then allow time to check the completed submission rather than treating the final day as the starting point.
There are also disclosure and access implications. Submitted sites may be used in future public consultation and cannot be kept confidential. The council says all submissions will be made publicly available on its website. Completing the form also gives permission for a council representative to access the site, with or without prior notice, to assess its sustainability.
A submitted site is not an allocated site
The East Herts sites call is separate from the planning application process. Council officers will assess land and proposed uses as the plan progresses. The published guidance expressly warns that a suggested site may not be allocated and may not be supported in a planning application. Inclusion in the evidence-gathering exercise does not decide the planning merits.
The council’s announcement says the district’s housing need is currently assessed at around 1,237 new homes a year. That provides context for seeking a clear picture of available land, but it is not an allocation to any particular town, village or submitted site. Decisions about locations and supporting infrastructure remain part of the plan-making process.
For people promoting East Herts sites, the immediate action is to review whether there is a qualifying new or materially changed site to submit by 26th November 2026. For neighbours, the important distinction is that suggestions are being collected rather than permissions granted. The official submission page contains the portal and guidance, while the 15th October council announcement explains the new exercise. Our Local Plan examination guide covers a later stage, after a plan has been prepared and submitted.
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